Surrey Mirror 22nd July

Congratulations to East Surrey MP, Sam Gyimah, for responding so powerfully to local concerns and for doing what Surrey County Council should be doing and so clearly aren't - protecting the Green Belt.

In response to Mr Gyimah's well argued and thorough letter calling for the withdrawal and review of the Surrey Minerals Plan, SCC's Lynne Hack, commenting in this week's Surrey Mirror said: 'Sam is new to this and new to the situation. Planning is extremely complex and perhaps he misunderstood.'

We think this is a patronising and complacent reply.

Mr Gyimah's predecessor, Peter Ainsworth, also voiced strong objections and he, too, was ignored. At that time the County Council leader went on BBC Television and blamed the Labour government saying SCC couldn't stop the Plan. That now seems misleading as it's become very clear SCC are determined to press ahead despite the new coalition government giving them the opportunity not to do so.

It's well past time the County Council started behaving in a more democratic fashion in tune with the new government's thinking on localism and proceeding in a way, as Mr Gyimah so eloquently puts it: 'transparent to all and led by the constituents we serve.'

Surrey Mirror 22nd July